Key-guard.



No. 706,006. Patented Aug. 5, 1902. B. n. BACON.

KEY GUARD.

(Application, filed Nov. 7, 1901.

(No Model.)

ELK V a 0/ a/ a, xhtmeoow a 4 @fivwewlioz Q/MW device to adjust itself to any thickness of es- UNITED STATES PATIENT OFFICE.

BYRON R. BACON, OF SOUTH ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

KEY-GUARD.

'SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 706,006, dated August 5, 1902.

Application filed November 7, 1901. Serial No. 81,365. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BYRON R. BACON, a citi- Zen of the United States, and a resident of South Orange, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Key-Guards,of which the followingis a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

My invention relates to an improved form of keyguard, and provides a device made up of a continuous piece of fiat springy metal and intended to be inserted in the keyhole of the escutcheon and held within same to prevent dislodgment of the key.

The object of my invention is to provide a device of the character described which will prevent by its use the dislodgment of the key by accident or from means exerted on the outside by any one with burglarizing intent.

An important feature of my invention is the particular construction which enables my cutcheon; and a further important obj ect, besides its efficiency and simplicity in operation, is its economy in cost of construction.

I attain these objects by the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the key in the lock and my improved key-guard inserted in the escutcheon. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of my key-guard. Fig. 3 is a sectional view through the center of the keyguard and shows it attached to the escutcheon, also shown in section. Fig. 4 is a similar view, but shows my key-guard attached to an escutcheon of greater thickness; and Fig. 5 shows a slight modification.

Referring to the parts of the device, A represents parallel shanks formed of a continuous strip of springy metal, preferably hardened steel, and having their ends bent to form ledges or shoulders 60. The said shoulders have their ends turned inwardly to form the flanges a, which are adapted to engage against the escutcheon B and which are provided with the finger-nail recesses a The shanks A are provided with the outwardlyprojecting lips or lugs a which are adapted to engage against the inner side of the escutcheon B and which are preferably formed integrally upon the device.

In practice the key is inserted in the lock and the key-guard inserted through the keyhole of the escutcheon and the shanks forced inwardly by pressure of the thumb or otherwise until the lips or lugs a engage upon the inside of the escutcheon.

The key-guard can only be removed by forcing the two sides or flanges a together until the lips a disengage the escutcheon B. It cannot be accidentallydislodged or forced out of the keyhole from the outside. It serves when the key is in place in the lock for preventing the key from being forced from the lock from the outside and also for preventing the accidental dislodgment of same.

The formation of the flanges a enables me to adjust my device to the thickest form of escutcheon, as shown in Fig. 4, as well as the thinner form of escutcheon shown in Fig. 3. This feature of my invention is an important one, as the escutcheons vary in thickness.

I am aware that heretofore key guards and fasteners have been made which have been more or less complicated and which have been particularly designed to prevent the turning of the key. I have designed my device so that it does not prevent the turning of the key, thereby obviating the necessity of removing the guard to throw the bolt. This feature makes my device particularly desirable, as it serves as a prevention against the loss of the key through accidental displacement.

It is obvious that I might embody various modifications which might suggest themselves in practice without departing from the spirit of my invention-as, for instance, instead of forming the lip integrally upon the shanks A by perforating same, as shown in the drawings, I may attach a rivet or fasten the lip by rivets or other means to the shanks. Instead of the flange a I may turn the ends to form a circular ridge, or in place of the finger-nail recesses I might'forin a ridge a", as illustrated in Fig. 5.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a key-guard consisting of a continuous strip of springy metal formed with parallel shanks adapted to be inserted through the keyhole of an escutcheon, projecting lips formed upon the said shanks and adapted to engage upon the inner side of the escutcheon,

ledges or shoulders formed at the ends of the upon the said shanks and adapted to engage :5

upon the inner side of the escutcheon, ledges or shoulders formed upon the ends of said ledges, and ridges or finger-recesses formed upon the said ledges, substantially as de scribed.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of two Witnesses, this 24th day of October, 1901.

BYRON R. BACON. Witnesses:

S. S. SUGAR, B. MoCoMB. 

